Fewer gates for eVisa travel

PHNOM PENH, 21 August 2017: Travellers should be aware that Cambodia’s eVisa is not available at every immigration checkpoint in the country.

Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced, last week, a decision to restrict the scope of the eVisa with regards entry locations.

The country recently revised its eVisa points-of-entry list identifying just five locations that are open for eVisa travelers. Details were forwarded to the travel trade through an Asian Trails update, at the weekend.

The eVisa has been touted as a measure to reduce airport queues for visa-on-arrivals at immigration checkpoints and allows immigration officials to screen the application online before issuing an approval number and barcode.

The country’s two main gateways Phnom Penh and Siem Reap’s airports, continue to have an eVisa channel.

Sihanoukville airport that will be shortly served by AirAia out of its home-base Kuala Lumpur, is not on the list.

The airport still has a visa-on-arrival service and those nationalities that are eligible for a visa-free entry will have no problem entering through Sihanoukville airport.

The eVisa is also ok for entry at certain land checkpoints such as the Thailand – Cambodia checkpoint at Cham Yeam, which faces Koh Kong at the border with the Thai province of Trat on the eastern seaboard.

The closest overland point to Bangkok where the eVisa is valid is the Thailand – Cambodia checkpoint at Aranyaprathet and Poipet on the Cambodian side of the border.

One checkpoint on the Vietnam-Cambodia border has an eVisa facility at Moc Bai (Bavet).

The eVisa costs USD30 plus a USD6 processing fee, payable by Visa or Mastercard. Allow three working days to receive a response on your application. Once approved, it is valid for a stay of 30 days and has a shelf life of 90 days from the date of approval.